Messiah edges Brandeis in double overtime

Messiah's Justin Brautigam races off after scoring the game-winner in the second overtime period.

By Henry Loughlin

Photos by Dave Hilbert, d3photography.com

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The NCAA Tournament often produces low-scoring encounters, but this first semifinal was an absolute barnburner. After a 0-0 first half, Brandeis put home a 60th minute goal for a 1-0 lead, which the Judges looked to be seeing out until Messiah tied things up 13 minutes later. From there, Brandeis retook the lead with 10 minutes to play, but the Falcons again soared back to take the momentum, tying things up 2-2 less than a minute later. After an overtime in which neither team got that many looks, the Falcons put home the game-winner in the 105th minute on a long shot from Justin Brautigam, sending Brandeis home and putting Messiah in its first national title game since 2013.

First Half

Out of the gate, Brandeis had a couple of promising minutes of possession, as the Judges midfield pounced on an errant pass from Messiah and got into the attacking half. The initial move didn’t result in anything, though, and the Falcons were able to go the other way, where forward Colby Thomas got into the box on the right flank. After a brief moment where it looked like Thomas might set something up, Brandeis center back Sam Vinson was able to recover.

As expected, Messiah sought to use the pace of wingers Thomas on the right and Nick West on the left to get at the Brandeis defense. West, in particular, posed extensive danger down his flank during the first 15 minutes, and it took several well-timed interventions from Vinson and Judges goalkeeper Ben Woodhouse to keep him from doing damage.

The most exciting part of the period came around halfway through the first half. At one end, a low ball into the Messiah box caused havoc, and Falcons goalkeeper Connor Bell did well to punch it away. Right down the other end, West looked primed to pull the trigger inside the 18, but Woodhouse did supremely well to come off his line and claim the ball.

Given both teams’ technical proficiency, each side was able to get at the other and put together some nice moves. However, aside from the half-chance here and there, spectators didn’t see many openings. As it was, despite a header from Vinson off a set piece which went just high, Brandeis and Messiah went into the half without much to choose between the two sides.

Second Half

Just after the interval, Messiah forward Kirby Robbins—who had been kept relatively quiet to that point—caught hold of a shot from distance, which Woodhouse did well to hold. Down at the other end, Ocel cut in from the left and chipped the ball, where Flahive was waiting on the penalty spot. The Brandeis attacker got his head to it, but put it right at Bell, who had no trouble keeping the effort out.

Moments later, the Judges grabbed the go-ahead goal. This time, Flahive turned the role of provider, as he broke down the left, fed the ball into the middle, and forced Messiah to scramble the ball clear for a corner. From the left flank, Josh Ocel took the inswinging corner, sending a high, arcing delivery that bobbled around for a bit before Vinson banged the ball home for the lead.

Messiah freshman Adam Cole scores first collegiate goal to even the score at 1-1 midway throught the second half.

As expected, Messiah came roaring back. A few minutes after the first score of the match, Robbins drilled one just wide with Woodhouse scrambling. Messiah started to crank up the pressure, and West feld Haseltine who put one just wide left.

While the Falcons were knocking on the door, they didn’t look like immediately breaking through. However, Messiah got the equalizer with 16:44 left on the clock in regulation. A quick free kick led to a nice ball in from Quintin, which drew Woodhouse out of his net. For the first time throughout the Tournament, Woodhouse wasn’t able to adequately clear the ball, allowing Messiah first-year midfielder Adam Cole to get the first goal of his career on the biggest stage of them all, heading the ball home and knotting the match up at 1-1.

Since equalizing, Messiah seemed to have all the momentum, as the Falcons were carving open the Judges’ defense. But the Judges hit the Falcons with a sucker punch, breaking down the right through Colin Panarra, who fed the ball into the middle. While Brandeis had two players open in the middle, the chance almost went begging, as Evan Glass and Andrew Allen came together, before Allen seized the initiative, banged the ball home, and gave his team the 2-1 advantage with 10:09 left. From being firmly on the ropes to being back in the driver’s seat, Brandeis looked to have the momentum back on its side.

That said, champions don’t quit, and Messiah as 10-time champions certainly lived up to billing. Less than a minute later, the Falcons came down the other end and fed the ball into the box. This time, instead of a header, it would be a volley that did the job, as Robbins slammed home a fantastic first-time effort from 12 yards that gave Woodhouse no chance and knotted the game up at 2-2.

Back at the other end, Thomas broke in down the left, and seemed primed to pull the trigger with just Woodhouse to beat. However, unlike Robbins a few moments earlier, there would be no goal for Thomas, as Woodhouse was able to keep out his near-post effort.

With less than 10 ticks on the clock and the ball pinballing around the 18, Quintin looked to win it for the Falcons. However, Vinson—as he did all game—intervened at the last possible moment, slide tackling the ball away as time expired in regulation, sending the game to overtime.

Brandeis midfielder Dylan Hennessy under pressure from Messiah centerback Dakota Rosenberg.

1st Overtime

Fans still hadn’t sat down for the overtime period when the game almost ended on a fluke play. With chaos in the box ensuing, the ball came off a Messiah defender and went just past Bell’s left-hand post for a corner, as the match nearly concluded on an own goal.

While both teams had played 90+ minutes, you wouldn’t know it with the speed and athleticism on show. Thomas, in particular, was giving Hennessy a torrid time down the right flank, but Hennessy put in a well-timed intervention to get the ball into touch when it looked like Thomas might break in. Minutes later, Thomas fed the ball in for Danny Brandt, who was just beat to the ball by the onrushing Woodhouse.

2nd Overtime

With neither team looking to give up much, time uneventfully wound down in the first overtime. However, the second brought a dramatic conclusion to the match.

Robbins, who had been a menace out wide throughout the extra session, brought the ball into the middle. As he was closely marked, he fed the ball to Brautigam, who took a touch and chipped one over Woodhouse and into the top part of the net, bringing the curtain down on a memorable, competitive game.

For the second straight year Brandeis’ season ends in the Final Four, as the Judges finish 17-5. Messiah, meanwhile, improves to 23-2, and will play for its 11th title tomorrow night.

Comments or feedback for the author? E-mail Henry Loughlin